Blog / Building apprenticeship
How to get a building or carpentry apprenticeship in NZ
To become a builder in New Zealand, most people do a carpentry apprenticeship: a paid job with a building company where you train on site for about 3 to 4 years and finish with a Level 4 qualification (Tahatū). You can start from 16, there's no upper age limit (Tahatū), and once you're qualified you can work towards becoming a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP).
Builder or carpenter? On site, people use both words. Tahatū lists the job as carpenter, and the training is a carpentry apprenticeship. This guide covers what the work is like, the ways in, how to apply, pay, and what comes after.
A day as a building apprentice
Carpenters build frames, install cladding, windows, doors and stairs, read plans, measure and cut materials, and renovate homes (Tahatū). As an apprentice you learn all of it on the job from experienced builders.
An example day (made up, to give you a feel – every crew is different):
- Start: a quick safety briefing on site and a look at the plans for the day.
- Morning: carry and stack timber, then help stand up and brace wall frames. Your boss shows you how to measure and cut accurately.
- Midday: fit a door or help install a window, checking it's level and sealed properly.
- Afternoon: clean up the site, put the tools away and cover materials before the weather turns.
- Some days: renovation work on an older house, a block course, or assessments for your qualification.
Expect a fair amount of fetching, carrying and cleaning up at first – that's how most people learn a site. Carpenters usually work regular business hours, sometimes weekends, on building sites with local travel. The work is physically demanding and can be noisy and dusty (Tahatū).
Is building right for you?
Tahatū says carpenters need to be accurate and safety-conscious, and that the job suits people who are practical, organised and investigative. Some honest questions:
- Do you like making something you can see and touch at the end of the day?
- Are you OK being outside, physically working, in most weather?
- Can you measure carefully and follow a plan? Small mistakes add up on a house.
- Can you show up on time, every day? Crews notice reliability fast.
Not sure? Try a day of work experience before you decide. If you're comparing trades, read about electrical, plumbing and mechanic apprenticeships too. Torn between a trade and a degree? Read apprenticeship vs university.
Will AI change it? Some parts may – design, quoting and planning tools keep changing. The hands-on work of building homes is much harder to automate, and certain work on homes must be done or supervised by a licensed person (LBP scheme). No job is guaranteed, though. More in how AI may change jobs in NZ.
Ways in
Straight from school
You can start an apprenticeship from 16 (Tahatū). You need an employer first – the apprenticeship comes with the job.
While you're still at school
In Years 11–13, ask your careers adviser about:
- Gateway: you work in a real workplace for part of the school year while you keep studying for NCEA.
- A trades academy: you spend 1 or 2 days a week with a training provider and 3 or 4 days at school, working towards NCEA Level 2 or above and industry qualifications at Level 1, 2 or 3.
Tahatū says choosing Gateway or a trades academy at school might help you get an apprenticeship when you leave (Tahatū). Building and construction subjects at school are worth asking about too.
A pre-trade course
Entry certificates in building and construction, such as the New Zealand Certificate in Construction Trade Skills, run at Levels 1–3. Tahatū lists them as 4 to 12 months of study, with NCEA Level 1 or open entry, and fees from $0 to about $7,300 depending on the course (Tahatū). Check the exact fees and length with the provider, and ask local builders whether they'd value it.
A labouring job first
Tahatū calls this a hammerhand: you help tradespeople on site, prepare and clean work areas and gather tools and materials. You usually learn on the job, and most hammerhands earn $24 to $35 an hour (Tahatū). It gets you onto real sites and in front of builders who may take on an apprentice. A holiday job, or helping on a renovation, counts as experience too.
Starting later
There's no upper age limit (Tahatū). If you're 20 or older, different minimum wage rules apply – see pay.
What you need
- NCEA Level 2 is usually needed for the training (Tahatū). Maths and English help with measuring, plans and the written parts of your qualification.
- An employer who takes you on as an apprentice.
- Possibly a driver licence – Tahatū lists it as something you may need – and some experience in construction helps.
- Reliability. Turning up on time, every time, is what gets you noticed.
How to apply, step by step
- Make a shortlist. Find 8–10 building companies near you. Note what they build – new houses, renovations or commercial work.
- Get your CV ready. One page, with anything practical: part-time jobs, sport, a family renovation, technology or building projects at school. Our CV guide for school leavers shows you how, even with no experience.
- Write a short message. Use the template below or our cover letter guide (it has an apprenticeship example).
- Call or visit. Ask for the owner or site manager: “I want to become a builder. Are you taking on an apprentice? Could I do a day with your crew?” Many apprenticeships are never advertised.
- Contact a training provider too. Tahatū lists 13 providers of carpentry and joinery apprenticeships, including BCITO, Builders Academy New Zealand and polytechnics around the country (Tahatū). Providers should help you get job-ready and may be able to match you with an employer looking for an apprentice (Tahatū).
- Search job sites. Try “apprentice builder” and “apprentice carpenter” plus your town, and set up an alert.
- Follow up a week later with a short, polite message.
- When you get an offer: ask the questions below, then you, your employer and the provider sign an apprenticeship agreement and you get a training plan.
Worth telling an employer: through Apprenticeship Boost, employers can get $500 a month (excluding GST) for an eligible apprentice in their first 12 months, for up to 12 months. The employer applies – within 20 days of you starting – and you can't apply yourself (Work and Income). Ask your provider whether your apprenticeship qualifies.
A message you can adapt
Fill in every [bracket] with something true about you. Delete anything that doesn't fit.
Questions to ask before you say yes
- What's the hourly rate, and when does it go up?
- Who pays the training fees, and how?
- Who will I work with day to day, and who signs off my training?
- How is the training done – on site, block courses, day release or evening classes?
- What tools and safety gear do I need to buy myself?
- Do I need a driver licence by a certain date?
How the training works
Your provider works with you and your employer on a training plan. It can include block courses, day release or evening classes, written assignments and on-the-job assessments where you show your skills to an assessor (Tahatū). Tahatū's listing says carpentry and joinery apprenticeships lead to a New Zealand Certificate at Level 4 (Tahatū) – for carpentry, that's the New Zealand Certificate in Carpentry (Level 4) (Tahatū).
Other building trades usually train through apprenticeships too – roofing, plastering, tiling, brick and blocklaying, and joinery. Concreters usually learn on the job, and Tahatū says you usually don't need specific NCEA levels for it (Tahatū).
Pay: apprentice and carpenter salary in NZ
While you train
The legal minimum for an apprentice is $19.16 an hour from 1 April 2026 (Employment NZ):
- Aged 16 to 19 and your employment agreement requires at least 40 credits a year of industry training: the starting-out rate, $19.16.
- Aged 20 or older and required to complete at least 60 credits a year: the training rate, $19.16.
At $19.16 an hour, a 40-hour week is $766.40 before tax. The adult minimum wage is $23.95. Many employers pay apprentices more than the minimum, and Tahatū says pay may go up as you learn more skills. Our minimum wage guide has more.
Once you're qualified
According to Tahatū, most carpenters earn $52,000 to $84,000 a year, and those at the upper end about $103,000 (Tahatū). Other building trades, for qualified workers:
| Trade | Most earn | Upper end |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | $52k–$84k a year | $103k a year |
| Joiner | $61k–$74k a year | $87k a year |
| Concreter | $27–$42 an hour | $52 an hour |
| Roofer | $25–$40 an hour | $52 an hour |
| Brick and blocklayer | $25–$40 an hour | $50 an hour |
| Wall and floor tiler | $25–$40 an hour | $50 an hour |
| Plasterer | $25–$38 an hour | $49 an hour |
Source: Tahatū occupation profiles (linked in the table), pay before tax, checked 3 October 2026. Tahatū shows some trades per year and others per hour. Pay depends on experience, region and employer.
Becoming a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP)
LBPs have been assessed as competent to carry out building work that's essential to the structure or weathertightness of homes (LBP scheme). This is called restricted building work (LBP), and it must be carried out or supervised by an LBP – so as an apprentice you'll do it under an LBP's supervision.
- Licence classes: Carpentry, Site (1–3), Design (1–3), Roofing, External Plastering, Brick and Blocklaying, and Foundations (licensing classes). You must show you're competent in each class you apply for.
- How you apply: online through the LBP portal, and an assessor then discusses your application with you. If you hold a recognised New Zealand qualification in the licence class, you can use the faster streamlined application; otherwise you apply with evidence of your experience (apply for licensing).
So getting your Level 4 carpentry qualification is also your first step towards a Carpentry licence.
What's changing in 2026–2028
New Zealand is reorganising vocational training (Ministry of Education):
- Since 1 January 2026, eight Industry Skills Boards temporarily look after apprenticeships and traineeships that used to sit with NZIST (formerly Te Pūkenga). BCITO is now a work-based learning division of the Construction and Specialist Trades board, and its contact details haven't changed.
- New apprentices: the boards can only take on new learners where there's no suitable work-based programme with a polytechnic or other tertiary provider. When you sign up, ask which provider you'll be enrolled with.
- If you're already an apprentice, you stay with your existing work-based learning division, with as few changes as possible.
- By 1 January 2028, these programmes and enrolments move to polytechnics and other tertiary providers, and the boards focus on keeping qualifications trusted and relevant.
For you, the steps stay the same: find an employer, sign up, follow your training plan. Ask your provider whether anything changes for your course. Our guide to apprenticeships in NZ sums up the changes for all trades.
Fees Free is ending. If you complete your apprenticeship by 31 December 2026 and it's your first eligible qualification, Fees Free can cover your final 24 months of training, up to $12,000. You apply within a year of finishing; complete after 31 December 2026 and you're not eligible (Inland Revenue). More in our Fees Free guide.
Your next small step
You don't have to have it all worked out. Pick one thing for this week:
- Write down three building companies near you and what they build.
- Ask your careers adviser whether there's a Gateway or trades academy place for next year.
- Not sure building is your thing? Try the AI coach if you're 16 or older. No sign-up needed.
- Read the apprenticeship overview to compare other trades.
If your school uses Week by Week, the AI coach can show career paths that fit you, how to get in locally, and any current job ads near you, each with an AI estimate of how well you match and what's missing. Join with your school code – no code? Ask your school.
Questions
How long is a building apprenticeship in NZ?
A carpentry apprenticeship usually takes 3 to 4 years, according to Tahatū's carpenter profile; its listing of carpentry and joinery apprenticeships says 3 years. You work for a building company and complete a Level 4 qualification at the same time.
Is a builder the same as a carpenter?
Mostly, yes. Tahatū lists the job as carpenter, and the usual way to become a builder is a carpentry apprenticeship. Other building trades, like roofing, tiling and plastering, have their own training.
Do I need NCEA to become a builder?
Tahatū says you usually need NCEA Level 2 for the training. Many pre-trade building courses take NCEA Level 1 or have open entry.
How much do carpenters earn in NZ?
According to Tahatū, most carpenters earn between $52,000 and $84,000 a year, and those at the upper end about $103,000. Apprentices earn less while they train.
How much do building apprentices get paid?
If your employment agreement requires industry training – at least 40 credits a year if you're 16 to 19, or 60 if you're 20 or older – the legal minimum is $19.16 an hour from 1 April 2026. Otherwise, or if you supervise or train other workers, it's at least the adult minimum wage of $23.95 an hour (16- and 17-year-olds can be paid $19.16 in their first 6 months with an employer). Many employers pay more, and your pay may go up as you gain skills.
What is a Licensed Building Practitioner?
An LBP has been assessed as competent to carry out building work that's essential to the structure or weathertightness of homes. This restricted building work must be done or supervised by an LBP. If you hold a recognised New Zealand qualification in the licence class, you can use the faster streamlined application.
Can I get a building apprenticeship with no experience?
Yes. You need to be 16 or older and find an employer who'll take you on. Tahatū notes that construction experience helps, so Gateway, a trades academy, a pre-trade course or a labouring job can make you a stronger candidate.
Want a plan that's actually about you? Week by Week is an AI coach that helps you turn what you've done into career paths that fit, any current job ads near you and one small step each week. Join with a nickname – no real name needed. Your school can try it free with 5 students for a month.
Sources
- Tahatū, Carpenter (pay, tasks, working conditions, entry requirements; checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, Apprenticeships in carpentry and joinery (length, level, providers; checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, About apprenticeships (age, steps, training plan; checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, Combine school with work or training (Gateway, trades academies; checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, Entry certificates in other building and construction (checked 3 October 2026)
- Tahatū, Hammerhand (checked 3 October 2026)
- Licensed Building Practitioners scheme
- LBP, Why get licensed?
- LBP, Licensing classes
- LBP, Apply for licensing
- Employment New Zealand, Minimum wage rates and types (checked 3 October 2026)
- Work and Income, Apprenticeship Boost (checked 3 October 2026)
- Ministry of Education, Redesign of the vocational education and training system (checked 3 October 2026)
- Inland Revenue, Fees Free (checked 3 October 2026)